And in the spirit of new starts . . .

One of the many items on my mental plate over the last few years has been the state of our schools. The big question has been, essentially, what kind of environment will I teach in? I've read enough Kozol and watched enough documentaries to fear the impact of underfunded schools, of which there are far too many. It's one thing to implement tough standards; it's quite another to make sure the conditions needed for success are created and sustained.

So here's to the hope that the change happening now finds its way into the schools that desperately need it.

And now, a brief clip from last week's amazing inauguration.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy